Spike TV is partnering with Microsoft Corp for live and commercial-free coverage of the Xbox Media Briefing at the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the game industry's leading trade show on Monday, June 4
With Microsoft and Spike TV partnering up for free live coverage of this year's E3, Electronic Entertainment Expo, tradeshow, viewers will b treated to over 17 hours of multi-platform coverage.
"E3 2012 will be an important milestone for Xbox, and we can't wait to share our vision for how we are making the entertainment you love, more amazing with fans live across Spike TV, online, and, for the first time, on Xbox LIVE," said Yusuf Mehdi, Chief Marketing Officer of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business.
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. With Microsoft's Xbox 360 new price cut, more consoles are expected to hit living rooms across America.
Speculations are on that Microsoft is planning to launch its Xbox 360 Kinect pack for $99 with the launch likely happening next week.
"Microsoft is planning to launch a $99 Xbox console package with a monthly subscription as early as next week, according to our sources. The software giant will offer the 4GB console with a Kinect sensor at its range of Microsoft Stores in the US, subsidized with a monthly cost of $15," according to a report in The Verge.
According to the report, those who want to purchase the Xbox, a two year subscription and warranty will be provided and customers will also receive the Xbox Live Gold service with additional streaming content will be made available through cable operators or sports package providers.
There have been rumors that Microsoft is also planning to include its new Xbox music service called Woodstock and this may be a strategy to bring more customers to purchase the Xbox.
When customers purchase the Xbox 360 and the Kinect pack, they will have to pay $299 along with $120 for a two year subscription of Xbox Live Gold totalling to $420, however with the new plan, customers will have to pay $459 over the next two years.
"The subscription bundle would open up the Xbox 360 to an entirely new market of users, including broke college students and families that could never justify the cost of an Xbox previously," writes The Christian Science Monitor.
However, according to the report that came out in The Verge, customers who terminate the subscription will have to pay a nominal termination fee. This new strategy that Microsoft has come up with is yet again the company's way of competing with its rivals Sony's PlayStation 3, Apple TV and Roku.
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